The audio of the eighteenth message from the SCREWED-UP SAINTS series, “Follow Me As I Follow Him” (1 Cor. 4:14-17) is now online.

Here are the small-group discussion/personal application questions:

Getting to know you: What did you do over the 4th? Any good stories to tell?

Have someone in the group read 1 Corinthians 4.14-17 out loud.

1. Did anything in this message change or clarify the way you think about relationships among Christians? Anything else that was helpful or challenging?

2. What did PB say is the difference between shaming and admonishing someone (verse 14)? Why do you think it’s important to the apostle Paul to make the distinction?

3. What did PB say is probably the main difference between a “guide” and a “father” in Paul’s mind? What’s so important about the distinction between them?

4. Take PB’s application seriously: Who would be on your list of (2 or 3) people you know who are imitating Christ well and who you would want to imitate?

Next Week: “Follow Me As I Follow Him (Part II)” (1 Corinthians 4.15-21)

The audio of the seventeenth message from the SCREWED-UP SAINTS series, “Disciples Are Losers” (1 Cor. 4:8-13) is now online.

Sorry, friends!  I’m running a little behind!

Here are the small-group discussion/personal application questions:

Getting to know you: If you were in the “Miss America” talent competition, what would your talent be? (both girls and guys [Mr. America] have to answer!)

Have someone in the group read 1 Corinthians 4.8-13 out loud.

1. What in this message challenged you, helped you, or rubbed you the wrong way?

2. Have you ever (or do you) think, “Well, if God doesn’t ________, then I’m not gonna ______”?  If so, fill in the blanks.  When have you (or do you) thought that?

3. Have someone read Acts 5:27-42 for the group.  What do we need to learn from the apostles?  What can you personally do to line up more clearly with the way they thought about their circumstances?  Be as specific as possible.

4. How should the gospel of Christ crucified shape the way we think about our rights and the things we tend to feel we deserve?

Next Week: “Follow Me As I Follow Him” (1 Corinthians 4.14-17)

The audio of the sixteenth message from the SCREWED-UP SAINTS series, “Who Do You Think You Are?” (1 Cor. 4:6-7) is now online.

A key quote from Gordon Fee (The First Epistle to the Corinthians): “[Verse 7] is an invitation to experience one of those rare, unguarded moments of total honesty, where in the presence of the eternal God one recognizes that everything—absolutely everything—that one ‘has’ is a gift.  All is of grace; nothing is deserved, nothing earned.  Those who so experience grace also live from a posture of unbounded gratitude.”

Here are the small-group discussion/personal application questions:

Getting to know you: What one word do you think people might use to describe your personality?

Have someone in the group read 1 Corinthians 4.6-7 out loud.

1. Talk about one thing in this message that made you think more deeply about something in your life.

2. What do you think is the main point of this paragraph?  Can you summarize it in one sentence or phrase?

3. Can you think of ways that Christians tend to create “outsider” and “insider” groups in the church on the basis of issues the Bible doesn’t really talk much about?

4. Can you think of things you might do differently or attitudes that would be different if you truly and deeply grasped the answer to Paul’s question, “What do you have that you did not receive?”

Next Week: A Concert of Prayer and Worship

The audio of the fourteenth message from the SCREWED-UP SAINTS series, “The World is Dumb” (1 Cor. 3:18-23) is now online.

Key quotes: “You don’t show the world Jesus by trying to be as much like the world as you can.”

“I believe that one reason why the church of God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the church” (C.H. Spurgeon).

Here are the small-group discussion/personal application questions:

Getting to know you: What’s one of your favorite childhood memories with your family?

Have someone in the group read 1 Corinthians 3.18-23 out loud.

1. Talk about one thing that was useful or impacting for you in this message.

2. What does Paul mean in verse 23 when he says “…All are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s?”  Can you put this in your own words?

3. PB talked about the way Christians often take their cues from the world for how to live and even how to worship.  Do you see this?  Where?  Why do you think this happens?

4. Can you think of things you might do differently if you cared less about fitting in with the world and the way the world operates?

Next Week: Paul Schoolmeesters rocks 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 on PB’s birthday

The audio of the thirteenth message from the SCREWED-UP SAINTS series, “God Lives Here.” (1 Cor. 3:16-17) is now online.

Key quote: “The ultimate temple; the special dwelling place of God to which the great temple of Solomon is inferior—is only a shadow and a foretaste—is us.  The body of Christ gathered together to enjoy God, offer sacrifices of praise, and hear him speak through his word.  God inhabits the entire universe and, as Solomon said, even highest heaven cannot contain him.  But God dwells in a unique, special, powerful, intimate way among his people when they gather together.”

Here are the small-group discussion/personal application questions:

Getting to know you: What do you most like to do with a free hour?

Have someone in the group read 1 Corinthians 3.16-17 out loud.

1. Talk about one thing that was useful or impacting for you in this message.

2. What does Paul mean by “temple” in vv. 16-17?  Or what is the main idea behind what “God’s temple” is?

3. In what ways are you living that contribute to the destruction of God’s temple?

4. In what ways has God made you a beautiful part of his temple, and how can you make it even more beautiful?

As a group, spend some time praying the answer to #4 into reality.

Next Week: “Everything Is Yours. But you are Christ’s.” : 1 Corinthians 3.18-23

Sorry, friends, I know these are late this week!  Blogging has (obviously) taken a back seat to everything else lately!

The audio of the twelfth message from the SCREWED-UP SAINTS series, “Building Materials Matter” (1 Cor. 3:10-15) is now online.

Here are the small-group discussion/personal application questions:

Getting to know you: If you owned a CB radio what would your “handle” be?

Have someone in the group read 1 Corinthians 3.10-15 out loud.

1. Talk about one thing that was useful or impacting for you in this message.

2. Why is it so important to build everything else we do and say as Christians on the foundation of the gospel of Christ (verses 10-11)?

3. What effect to you want to have on the people around you?  How do you want to build into them and affect them?  Are you doing this in your life right now?

4. What are you building your life with currently?  What “building materials” do you need to stop using as much?  What “building materials” do you need to implement more as you continue to build your life?

Next Week: “God Lives Here.” : 1 Corinthians 3.16-17

The audio of the eleventh message from the SCREWED-UP SAINTS series, “The Divine Cultivation of Childish People” (1 Cor. 3:1-9) is now online.

Here are the small-group discussion/personal application questions:

Getting to know you: If you could be anyone besides yourself, who would you be?

Have someone in the group read 1 Corinthians 3.1-9 out loud.

1. Talk about one thing that was useful or impacting for you in this message.

2. What is a “person of the flesh” (3:1)?  How is it different from a “spiritual person” (2:15) and “natural person” (2:14)?

3. Do you feel like your spiritual growth is flourishing or retarded right now?  What has caused it to flourish (or not flourish)?  What do you need to do to let it flourish even more?

4. How do you need to respond to God’s invitation to participate as a “fellow worker” with Him (3:9)?

Next Week: “Building Materials Matter” : 1 Corinthians 3.10-15

The audio of the tenth message from the SCREWED-UP SAINTS series, “Teaching God Is Dumb” (1 Cor. 2:14-16) is now online.

Two key quotes from Gordon Fee (The First Epistle to the Corinthians, NICNT) that I was asked to post: “This paragraph has endured a most unfortunate history of application in the church.  Paul’s own point has been almost totally lost in favor of an interpretation nearly 180 degrees the opposite of his intent.  Almost every form of spiritual elitism, ‘deeper life’ movement, and ‘second blessing’ doctrine appeals to this text.  One special brand of this elitism surfaces among some who…regularly make a ‘special revelation’ from the Spirit their final court of appeal.  What is painful about so much of this is not simply the improper use of this passage, but that so often it is accompanied by a toning down of the message of the Cross.”

“Here is another sentence that, taken out of its context, has suffered much in the church.  There are always some who consider themselves full of the Spirit in such a way as to be beyond discipline or the counsel of others.  Such a reading of the text is an unfortunate travesty, since these people are usually among those most needing such discipline.”

Here are the small-group discussion/personal application questions:

Getting to know you: What is your dream job (regardless of required experience or
education)?

Have someone in the group read 1 Corinthians 2.14-16 out loud.

1. Talk about one thing that was useful or impacting for you in this message.

2. What did PB say that Paul means when he says that “the things of the Spirit of God” can only be “spiritually discerned” (v. 14)?

3. What did PB say that Paul means when he says that “the spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one” (v. 15)?  How is this phrase commonly misinterpreted?

4. If a friend says, “God told me…,” how should we respond?  What sorts of questions should we ask?  Is it ever appropriate to say, “God told me…”?  What about phrases like “I sense God is leading me to…” or “God has been laying it on my heart to…”?

Next Week: “The Divine Cultivation of Ridiculous People” : 1 Corinthians 3.1-9

The audio of the ninth message from the SCREWED-UP SAINTS series, “How to Be Spiritual (…even without crystals, yoga, and body prayer)” (1 Cor. 2:9-13) is now online.

Here are my two concluding theses from the text: (1) The first and foremost work of the Holy Spirit is to enter into people’s hearts and open their eyes to see, understand and believe the gospel of Christ crucified.  Therefore, (2) the first and foremost thing it means to be spiritual, as far as Paul is concerned, is to have had the Holy Spirit enter into your heart and open your eyes to see, understand, and believe the gospel of Christ crucified.

Another key quote regarding v. 13: “Biblical spirituality, according to Paul, is first and foremostly being personally indwelt by God the Holy Spirit, who has opened your eyes to see the power of Christ, and has implanted in you a robust conviction about the truth of the gospel that drives you to take the message of Christ into the world.”

Here are the small-group discussion/personal application questions:

Icebreaker: What would you leave in your will for the person you care about the most?

Have someone in the group read 1 Corinthians 2.9-13 out loud.

1. Talk about one thing that was useful or impacting for you in this message.

2. What do you think most people in our culture mean when they say that they consider themselves “spiritual”?  Is this a problem?  Why or why not?

3. Why do you think so often Christians focus on the Father and the Son but ignore the person and work of the Holy Spirit?

4. What did PB (and the apostle Paul) say is the work of the Holy Spirit in this passage?  What does it mean to be “spiritual”?  What do you personally need to ask the Spirit to do in your life?

Next Week: “Teaching God is Dumb” : 1 Corinthians 2.14-16

The audio of the message from last week’s Fusion Community gathering, “Toward Restoration: Addressing Church Discipline,” is now online. This was the most painful evening of my tenure as a pastor at NHC because I was required to discipline a friend.  But God, as anticipated, is already showing how he has intended good in what Satan intended for evil.

Small groups were asked simply to talk through what I said with regard to Matthew 18:15-17 and related texts, and to discuss how they can implement these “10 God-Honoring Responses” to church discipline that I gave the community:

1. Pray
2. Do not throw a pity party
3. Do not gossip. Kill gossip.
4. Guys: Encourage
5. Girls: Honor the terms of discipline.
6. Learn that sin matters and is always discovered.
7. Check yourself.
8. Thank God for his preserving grace.
9. Cling to the Cross.
10. Believe new things are possible because of the resurrection.

Next Week: “How to Be Spiritual (even without crystals, yoga and body prayer)” : 1 Corinthians 2.9-13